Veterans Affairs committee  Nor should we forget the role of advisors, veterans organizations.

Veterans Affairs committee  In actuality, under the new Veterans Charter, he could apply for rehabilitation, and he could be rehabilitated even though he may have lost his two legs. He could have psychosocial or any type of rehabilitation that would allow him to be employable again. Under the new Veterans C

Veterans Affairs committee  And if there is an advisory council, then obviously the voice of veterans and ex-Canadian Forces members can be heard to give advice to the ombudsman.

Veterans Affairs committee  There's also the element of what I would call the policy issue here, that access to primary access beds and the major contract facility is not enshrined in your policies. I think it's time to look at that for those people who are injured currently coming out of Afghanistan who mi

Veterans Affairs committee  I'm not sure I understood your question. By “veterans responsibilities”, do you mean the responsibilities of military personnel on duty? Their greatest responsibility is, quite simply, risking their lives for their country.

Veterans Affairs committee  The veteran takes on the biggest responsibility possible, namely sacrificing his life for his country. One cannot ask for anything more.

Veterans Affairs committee  And I gave you the same answer.

Veterans Affairs committee  The department does have policies and regulations in place, after all. It encourages members or veterans applying for benefits to follow these policies and comply with the regulations. This could be seen as a responsibility on their part. It's clear that existing procedure must b

Veterans Affairs committee  I'll try to make it short. The reality is that after World War II, in those seventeen major facilities where there were primary access beds, actually approximately 2,000 beds were reserved for critical care for veterans returning from that conflict. Over the years, these critica

Veterans Affairs committee  A six-year mandate would allow the ombudsman to bridge the gap between two governments. This would preclude lending political overtones to the ombudsman position. Getting back to Mr. Frost's views on the ombudsman's role, if the position was legally mandated, more than likely he

Veterans Affairs committee  On the last level. That reconsideration is where it becomes a little more problematic because of some of the processes that are in place and because some of the veterans seek some recourse from the Federal Court. There are not very many appeals that go to the Federal Court. Aga

Veterans Affairs committee  We see that role as basically doing exactly what the Federal Court does and demanding or requesting that the VRAB, whether with the old members or with new members, reconsider its decision. So, no, the ombudsman would not be an adjudicator. We don't see that role for the ombudsm

Veterans Affairs committee  Generally, the departmental decisions are favourable at about a 60% to 75% rate. If we look at what VRAB does, I would say, and this is off the top of my head, that at the first level of appeal they will probably vary favourably 50% of the decisions and at the second level of app

Finance committee  Could I answer that?

Finance committee  We don't have an estimate of the cost, but the reality is that in the year 2040, one in four of your people who are going to be buying goods will be seniors. Surely you have to preserve a way to allow them to compete in Canadian society and purchase these goods, and this is proba